MENDOCINO Co., 7/06/2018 — It's already been a busy wildfire season in Northern California this year, with a variety of road closures and evacuations occurring. In order to help people stay informed, we've added a wildfire map to our website, and we've also created a 2018 Fire Season category so you can go right to the latest information. Thanks to quick responses by CalFire and our local departments, so far most fires in Mendocino have been brought under control quickly. Here's an update on the current fires burning in our region, along with a list of resources to help you stay informed.

Peach Fire: The Peach Fire started in Boonville yesterday afternoon and ultimately grew to about 90 acres before it was declared fully contained by CalFire at around 1:45 p.m. today. Here's our coverage in full.

Pawnee Fire: The latest update from CalFire shows the Pawnee Fire at 15,185 acres, where it has held steady for a few days, and 95% contained as of the evening update. The Pawnee Fire began in Lake County on June 23, and then flared up again when it was about 73% contained due to hot temperatures and high winds. The flare-up, which began on June 30, resulted in renewed evacuation notices and road closure of State Route 20 in Lake County, which are now cancelled, although Walker Lake Road at Highway 20 remains closed. A total of 22 structures have burned down, the majority those at the beginning of the fire. Here's our previous coverage, and the current details in the CalFire incident page.

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County Fire: The most recent update for the County Fire puts it at 88,375 acres and 42% contained as of this evening. The estimate vi containment is listed for July 12. A total of nine structures have been destroyed, but that may change as damage assessment crews continue to work their way through the burned areas. Some mandatory evacuations and some road closures, including State Highway 16 between State Highway 20 and Rumsey Hall, remain in place. Full details from CalFire here, and see our previous coverage here.

The CalFire report notes:

Steep and inaccessible terrain has created difficulty for firefighters along the Northern portion of the fire. Although the weather will be more favorable today, higher temperatures, lower humidities and winds are expected to return over the weekend. Damage Inspection Teams have begun to survey areas where fire activity has diminished. The number of damaged and destroyed structures reflected may change as teams continue to make progress.

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The County Fire began in Yolo County on June 30, the same afternoon that red flag weather caused a flare-up in the Pawnee Fire. The fire began near the Lake County line, east of Lake Berryessa, and quickly grew to around 8,000 acres in a few days, entering Napa County and causing evacuations, road closures, and wilderness closures. The County Fire has since slowed in growth and containment has grown.

Klamathon Fire: The most recent CalFire update lists the Klamathon Fire as 9,600 acres in size and 5% contained as of 6:45 p.m. The I-5 re-opened this morning, but the fire is not yet under control. There is an evacuation center at the Jackson Street School and a large animal center at the Siskiyou Fairgrounds.

The Klamathon Fire grew rapidly near the town of Hornbrook in Siskiyou County yesterday to more than 5,000 acres in a few hours, resulting in the death of one person and temporary closing I-5 between Ashland and Yreka. The highway has since re-opened. In response, Gov. Brown declared a state of emergency for the area impacted by the Klamathon fire this morning.

The California Department of Fish & Wildlife announced this evening that "CDFW’s Iron Gate Hatchery along the Klamath River, the Klamathon Road fishing access below Iron Gate Hatchery, and the Horseshoe Ranch Wildlife Area north of Yreka between Interstate 5 and Iron Gate Reservoir have been closed to protect public safety."

This year has been predicted to be an intense wildfire season, so make sure you have cleared brush and created defensible space around your home. You can get more information about how to prepare for a wildfire at the CalFire wildfire resource website Ready for Wildfire, which also has an app you can download.

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